A student was shot dead by police in Kakamega during countrywide protests against high fuel costs, and his mother is demanding justice for his death.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Prof George Njoroge at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital received the Greater Manchester Cancer Award 2026 alongside a UK team for advancing early detection of oesophageal cancer through a model combining community engagement, rapid pathology services, and genomic capacity.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
The Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture and Children Services revealed that 10,581 child protection cases have been reported between January 2025 and March 2026, with 6,820 cases of abandonment, 1,952 abduction cases, and 173 trafficking cases, noting that 78 per cent have been resolved through rescue operations and reunification.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Busia County has intensified Ebola screening and surveillance at the Busia and Malaba border points following an outbreak in eastern DRC and Uganda that has claimed at least 131 lives. Health officers are conducting 24-hour screening of incoming travellers at these busy border crossings.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
At the 6th Multidisciplinary Conference at Rongo University, officials including the Secretary for Higher Education urged universities to ensure research moves beyond theory to address societal problems through innovation, noting that many research findings remain unpracticed.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Civil society and legal groups have given the government 40 days to act on rising cases of gender-based violence and femicide, warning that failure will trigger nationwide protests and legal action. They cited recent high-profile cases and said the country is facing a crisis requiring immediate national intervention.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
A 12-year-old girl, Mercy Nyambura, was found dead in a maize plantation in Lare area, Njoro Sub-County, Nakuru County, on Tuesday afternoon after going missing on Monday. Local authorities believe she was raped, strangled and tortured, with her body showing multiple head injuries, a severed left eye, and bruises on her neck.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Rachael Wandeto, a gospel artiste and mother of two, died on Monday from 75 per cent burn injuries after being attacked with an unknown liquid by three people on Saturday in Mwiki, Kasarani. Her family is requesting thorough investigations into the circumstances of her death and has declined to confirm claims she was targeted over a tattoo of President William Ruto.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
A coalition of women's rights organisations, legal bodies and human rights defenders has given the government a 40-day ultimatum to address rising gender-based violence and femicide, warning that failure to act will trigger nationwide peaceful protests and court action. The groups cite delayed investigations, weak prosecutions and inadequate support systems as contributors to continued violence against women and girls.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Tuberculosis screening and testing among chang'aa consumers and other residents in Shipalo village, Kakamega, has been delayed amid concerns that more people may already be infected following two deaths.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya has scaled up disease surveillance and emergency preparedness nationwide following a WHO declaration of Ebola as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where suspected cases and deaths have risen. The Health Cabinet Secretary confirmed Kenya remains Ebola-free but said the country has heightened screening at all points of entry, with at least 34,500 travellers screened as of May 18, 2026.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
An Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC has prompted Kenya's Public Health PS to activate rapid response mechanisms and intensify screening at borders, but an editorial warns the country remains vulnerable due to cross-border movement of workers and acknowledged shortages of protective equipment and ambulances for patient referral.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
A Nakuru High Court has recalled the administration of Olympic marathoner Samuel Wanjiru's multi-million estate after a woman presented DNA evidence proving she had a son with him, seeking to revoke the grant of letters of administration previously issued.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
A total of 238 young entrepreneurs in Kisumu graduated from the Power Up programme, which trains participants in electronics repair and e-waste management, with 35 per cent women and 12 per cent persons with disabilities. Graduates gain hands-on skills in mobile phone, television, and large appliance repair, plus business training in financial management, marketing, and record-keeping.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga met with WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Kluge to discuss strengthening health workforce collaboration between Africa and Europe through retention strategies and ethical mobility frameworks for healthcare workers. The discussions focused on addressing global staff shortages, improving retention, promoting social inclusion, and strengthening protections against violence and burnout.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A nationwide matatu strike triggered by rising fuel prices has paralysed transport services, forcing patients across the country to walk long distances to hospitals. Health service delivery in hospitals has been limited, with patients unable to reach referral hospitals for urgent care.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Tension gripped Busia town after a youth named Fred Odhiambo was shot dead during protests at Busia Police Station. The protests erupted following the arrest of Edwin Wepukhulu, a youth leader accused of vandalising a police vehicle; a group of youths subsequently stormed the station demanding his release, leading to violent confrontations.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Detectives from the Anti-Narcotics Unit arrested five suspects and recovered suspected cannabis sativa worth Sh4.2 million in separate operations across Kilifi, Nyeri, and Nyandarua counties. The seizures included 142 kilogrammes from Kilifi, 18 kilogrammes from Nyeri, and 1,000 grammes plus 850 rolls from Nyandarua.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
A Sh63 million bursary programme launched in Sigor constituency is helping keep girls in school and reducing early marriage and female genital mutilation. Sigor MP Peter Lochakapong said the bursary, distributed since 2017, has transformed lives and reduced poverty levels among families in the area.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Turkana community leaders in Isiolo County have criticized the Government of Kenya for inadequate welfare and lack of insurance cover for National Police Reservists, who frequently face bandits but struggle with medical expenses when injured and whose families receive no compensation when killed on duty. The leaders, speaking at a burial of an NPR officer shot dead in Isiolo, called on Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen to extend medical insurance and family compensation schemes to NPR officers similar to those announced for regular police officers.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Health CS Aden Duale said Kenya has not recorded any Ebola cases linked to the Bundibugyo strain outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, but the government has activated enhanced surveillance and preparedness measures across the country given regional connectivity. The outbreak has killed at least 88 people across DRC and Uganda, with the WHO and Africa CDC declaring it a public health emergency.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Three suspects were arrested in Ichuga after police recovered 18 kilogrammes of suspected cannabis in a joint anti-narcotics operation by Laikipia and Nyeri county officers. The haul included 692 rolls of suspected cannabis, three kilogrammes of unprocessed narcotics, one kilogramme of cannabis seeds, and six stones of the substance.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya is experiencing a severe shortage of family planning commodities, with several at zero stock nationally including combined oral contraceptives, injectables, and emergency contraceptive pills, according to a statement to the Senate. Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda called for urgent ring-fencing of family planning funds, citing links to maternal health, reproductive rights, and universal health coverage.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
A 35-year-old woman was attacked by a crocodile while crossing Athi River in Makueni County on Monday evening; a 20-year-old man who tried to rescue her was also killed. Disaster response officials and Kenya Red Cross are expected to begin a search operation for the two bodies.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
A Mombasa court has upheld a decision to award Pride Inn Hotel's Senior Chef Nickson Mangwenje compensation of eight months' salary, one month's salary in lieu of notice, and public holiday dues after he was summarily dismissed in September 2020 for serving a meal without a Kitchen Ticket Order. Justice Kebira found the dismissal procedurally unfair.
20 May 2026 · The Standard →
Two youths were shot dead by police in Busia town following violent clashes with a group called "Jobless" during demonstrations demanding the release of detained youth leader Edwin Wepukhulu. Three others were injured in the incident, and demonstrators alleged police brutality, claiming the youths were shot from behind while fleeing after tear gas was fired.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The DCI arrested two suspects, Eisha Mzungu Kalama and Jamal Chilumo Chiraga, in possession of bhang valued at Ksh.4.2 million in Kisumu Ndogo, Kilifi County. Detectives found 142 kilograms of cannabis sativa wrapped and ready for distribution during an anti-narcotics operation.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya has rejected blanket quarantines for travellers and truck drivers as part of its Ebola preparedness, instead implementing enhanced risk-based screening and surveillance aligned with WHO guidance. The country has screened over 34,500 travellers at borders and airports, and is deploying an online passenger surveillance system and cross-border coordination with Uganda, DRC, and regional partners.
20 May 2026 · Capital News →
Kenya has launched intensified nationwide Ebola preparedness measures through the Kenya National Public Health Institute following Bundibugyo strain outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, though no cases linked to the current outbreak have been detected in Kenya. The WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and the Africa CDC classified it as a Grade 3 High Risk event due to cross-border transmission and the absence of licensed vaccines for the Bundibugyo strain.
20 May 2026 · Capital News →
Kenya's High Court issued a landmark ruling that Kenyan law does not expressly prohibit the alteration of sex or gender markers on official documents, finding that the refusal by state agencies to amend the documents of transgender activist Audrey Mbugua Ithibu violated constitutional guarantees on equality, dignity, privacy, freedom of expression and fair administrative action.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Police in Limuru, Kiambu County, arrested a man suspected of fatally stabbing his neighbour, described by residents as a key witness in an ongoing court case scheduled for Friday. The suspect and deceased were involved in a long-standing court dispute, with residents claiming the suspect had previously threatened to "land him in the grave."
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Joshua Wambua Mutua was arraigned at Machakos Law Courts and charged with robbing Kelvin Miriti of a Toyota Voxy, mobile phone, and Ksh.6,800 in cash on January 20, 2026. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody pending a July 2 mention.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Two people died during violent confrontations after a crowd of nearly 200 youths stormed a Busia police station following the arrest of a suspect linked to destruction of a police vehicle, Busia County Police Commander Ahmed Abdilleh confirmed. The group allegedly attempted to loot businesses and vandalized public infrastructure including buildings belonging to the Kenya Medical Training College and county government offices.
20 May 2026 · Capital News →
A viral social media post claiming the Botswana government had declared a public holiday for Arsenal supporters was dismissed as fake by the ruling administration's official pages, which displayed a "FAKE" stamp across the fabricated press release.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Federation of Women Lawyers Kenya (FIDA-Kenya) has issued a 40-day ultimatum to the government demanding urgent action to address growing cases of gender-based violence and femicide. The organization is calling on President William Ruto to declare GBV and femicide a national crisis, mobilise emergency resources, establish a dedicated GBV Fund, and create rapid response systems in affected counties.
20 May 2026 · Capital News →
A taxi driver, Josiah Njeru Njiri, has been arrested in connection with the death of gospel singer Racheal Muthoni, who died from severe burns after being doused in petrol and set ablaze. The arrest comes as human rights organisations report that at least eight femicide cases are reported each week in Kenya.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya's Ministry of Health has stepped up national surveillance and response measures following the World Health Organisation's declaration of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a public health emergency of international concern. The number of suspected cases in DRC and Uganda has risen to 600, with 139 suspected deaths, and Kenya remains free of the virus but faces concern over regional links through transport and cross-border movement.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Human rights bodies have given the government 40 days to address rising femicide and gender-based violence cases, threatening street protests if demands are not met. Their demands include declaring GBV a national crisis, establishing a GBV fund, ensuring police accountability, and launching a national campaign.
20 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
During a State Visit to Kazakhstan, First Lady Rachel Ruto visited the Asyl Miras Center for children with autism and called for Kenya to adopt similar models of comprehensive support, awareness-raising and professional training to serve children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families.
20 May 2026 · Capital News →